Before playing this game, I honestly knew nothing about Leonardo DaVinci, except that he was a famous painter. Like a lot of people I recognized his works and thought they were gorgeous, but beyond that I never thought much about the man. Now that I've had a taste of what his life in France might have been like via Secrets of DaVinci: The Forbidden Manuscript, I find that I want to learn more about him....I also want to climb into my computer screen and live in his beautiful mansion!

'The Secrets of Da Vinci - The forbidden Manuscript' is a solid
adventure game, which will entertain even experienced players very well for at least 15
hours. An interesting story and challenging puzzles form a natural entity supported and
supplemented by beautifully designed locations and well animated characters. This is how I
like my adventure games to be and I can recommend it not only to those, who enjoyed the
other games by Kheops Studio but to everyone, who likes historical settings and inventory
puzzles in their adventures.

Deceiving outward looks, masks under masks... As you start playing The Secrets of Da Vinci, it is tempting to see it as an ambitious narrative endeavour; but it is eventually revealed not to have strayed too far away from the usual Kheops mould: a sweet but unassuming game for a niche genre. Still, with its clever, elegant puzzles and a light-hearted plot loaded with twists, it is definitely the most enjoyable game I have played in a long time.

Well it's lucky that The Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript has appeared right at this point in time with all the fuss and controversy over Dan Brown's popular novel, The Da Vinci Code, and the equally controversial film of the novel. Any game (and there is a Da Vinci Code game based on Dan Brown's tale) anything to do with Da Vinci is bound to attract attention. So let me say right from the start, this game in no way follows The Da Vinci Code book, or the movie, or the game.

Though it may be sheer coincidence that the title has come along just in time to capitalize on the current Da Vinci Code craze, the new game forgoes the religious conspiracy angles and instead focuses on the historical accomplishments and character of Leonardo da Vinci. While it lacks the intrigue and drama of the Dan Brown version, Secrets of da Vinci: The Forgotten Manuscript offers a look at the historical realities of the famed Renaissance artist and inventor.

Does the name Leonardo mean more to you than a katana-wielding turtle? Does the mention of the name Da Vinci conjure up more than an image of Tom Hanks? If so, and if you're interested in the works of the immensely talented artist, inventor, and all-around genius known as Leonardo Da Vinci, then you might be interested in the latest adventure game from Kheops Studio. The Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript is a fictional adventure that has you searching for the lost works of the master himself. The game doesn't actually reveal any secrets about Da Vinci, so if you're looking to back up any conspiracy theories, you'll be disappointed. Beyond the name, there isn't anything remarkable about The Secrets of Da Vinci. It's a solid but standard point-and-click adventure that isn't the least bit adventurous. Despite that, it still proves satisfying enough for fans of adventure games.

I’m a fan of Dan Brown, the author of "The Da Vinci Code." That is why I was excited to play The Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript. However, you won’t find Robert Langdon in this game, or a modern-day murder mystery. This game takes place in the 16th century, a few years after the death of Leonardo Da Vinci. You play Valdo, an apprentice working for Leonardo’s disciple, Francesco Melzi. After receiving a request to recover the missing manuscript, he uses his cover to gain access to the Manoir du Cloux. This is where Da Vinci spent his last few years. During this secret investigation, you encounter many examples of Da Vinci’s work.

Dan Brown. Love him or hate him, you've got to admire the skill with which he's managed to write a clutch of successful novels which are practically bloody identical. Take some pathetically simple cryptography, one twist, a lemon - usually the lead character - and a bunch of two-page long chapters and voila, one Brown book. The best-seller of these templates, The Da Vinci Code, has spawned a film, a court case, and now the inevitable computer games, of which this isn't one. Well, it's obviously cashing in on the impending Hollywood blockbuster, but unlike Take-Two's official Da Vinci Code console license, this has absolutely nothing to do with murder in the Louvre.